Airship or the like.



F. ROSBORY.

AIRSHIP OR THE LIKE.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1910.

Patented May 7, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR. N Z

ATTORNEYV.

WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H $0.. WASHINGTON. nc.

P. ROSBORY.

A'IRSHIP OR THE LIKE. APPLIOATION FILED $31 123, 1910.

Patented May 7, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET2.

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNEYJ.

F. ROSBORY.

AIRSHIP OR THE LIKE. APPLIOATIQN FILED $31 123; 1910.

1,025,539. Patented May 7,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WJITNESSES: I Y 11v NTOR.

@L 0% I 7 BY A TTORNE Y6,

COLUMBIA PMNOGR APH CO WASHINGTON D C FRANK ROS'BORY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

.AIRSHIP OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1912.

Application filed September 23, 1910. Serial No. 583,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK ROsBORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Airship or the Like, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as airships, and relates particularly to an airship or craft heavier than air and provided with means for propelling and steering the same, and has among its objects the product-ion of a simple, safe, durable, efficient and satisfactory device of the kind described.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, Figure l is a front elevation of my device, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a top plan View with the planes omitted, F ig; 4 is a side elevation and partial sectional View of the car with the planes omitted, Fig. 5 is an end View with the planes omitted, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the car body taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the body of the car constructed of any suitable material and of the desired shape and form, provided with a plurality of wheels 2 and any desired number of windows or ports 3, 4 and 5. The body of the car when in flight is carried or suspended from and propelled by a drum rotatably arranged on a shaft 7 which carries downwardly extending suspension members or hangers 8 and 13. The hanger 8 is preferably formed with an extended part 9 and pivotally secured to the car body through the part 10 secured to part 9 and the part 11 carried by the body p-ivotally secured at the point 12 to the part 10. The hanger 13 is Preferably provided with forked ends 14 and adjustably secured to the car body as hereafter described, so that the car body is adjustably suspended from the drum.

The preferred form of drum 6 comprises a frame of suitable material made up of rings 17, 1S and 19 and strengthening members 20 21 and 22 etc., arranged longitudinally of the drum. I also provide strengthening members 20, 21 and 22 arranged spirally and extending from one end of the drum to the other, the pitch of the same being as desired, the members forming means of attachment for suitable propeller wings or blades 24 24 24 arranged within the drum. The covering for the drum and the wings may be made of any suitable material, a light, strong fabric being very satisfactory for the purpose. The wings or propeller plates 24, 24 24 extend transversely or diametrically and longitudinally of the drum on the interior thereof, forming spirals, and are each preferably of less width at one end, (as shown at the forward end in Fig. 4), than at the rear end. The same are suitably secured in position to the drum at the spiral members 20, etc., and stayed by means of stays 25 at the forward end, stays 26 at about the middle and stays 27 and 28 at the rear of the frame. Additional stays or strengthening members 29 extending from the drum to the interior edge of the spiral may also be employed, if desired.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I show suitable wings or planes 30 as a part of the device which may be of any form or construction and of any number, two being shown one on each side of the drum, the same being secured to the device either to the car body or to any other desired part. As shown the planes 30 are secured to the hangers by means of a frame 31, 33, 34 and 35 and bracing wires or stays 32.

As before mentioned the forward part of the drum is adjustable relative to the car body, a very simple construction for affording adjustment, comprising a gear 39 on each side arranged to engage the rack 15 on the forked arms 14. The gears 39 are controlled by a shaft 40 on which is secured a worm gear 43, and a worm 44 which is driven or controlled through suit-able bevel gears 45 and 46, the bevel gear 46 being controlled by the hand wheel 47. The racks 15 are maintained in operative engagement with the gears 39 by means of the rolls 41 carried by the brackets 42.

Any suitable power may be used to rotate the drum, an internal combustion engine 50 connected to a flexible shaft 53 through gears 51 and 52 being shown for the purpose. The flexible shaft 53 is connected to a sprocket wheel 54 arranged between 8 and 7 which is connected by a sprocket chain 56 to the sprocket wheel 57 operatively connected with the drum. The sprocket wheels 54 and 57 are shown provided with spokes arranged to form propellers 55 and 58, so as to afford additional means for propelling the craft. If desired a hand wheel 59 may be provided for rotating the drum, the same being suitably connected to the gear 52 by a shaft 60, or its equivalent, through any suit able form of clutch (not shown).

The device may be steered in any suitable way, by any kind of rudders arranged as desired. As shown, I provide a rudder 62 comprising a frame 61 having a body 62 of fabric or suitable material, the frame being pivotally secured to the hanger 8 by brackets 63 or their equivalent. 6 L is a rudder part or ring secured to the rudder over which extend the tiller ropes 65 which are wound on and controlled by a drum 67.

-Blocks 68 may be provided to guide the tiller ropes. A hand wheel, 72, operating through the bevel gears 70 and 71 and shaft 69 controls the drum 67.

In operating or flying the forward end of the drum is elevated and the engine started, and rotating the drum causes the device to be propelled forward as well as to mount into'the air. The wheels on the car body permit the ear to roll on the ground until sufiicient speed is obtained for flight. Any additional rudders other than those shown, may be provided and if desired, a clutch may be interposed between the engine and the drum, so that the engine may be driven without rotating the drum. The planes 30 of which there may be any number, assist the drum in ascending and in sustaining the car while in flight, and permit gliding after the engine or power has been cut off from the r'drum. Ascending or descending and direction of flight are controlled by varying the adjustment between the drum and the car body or by operating'the rudder. It will be noted that as the car body is suspended from the drum, it will be kept by 7 the force of gravity from capsizing.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction and combination of parts herein shown and described.

What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the kind described, a drum provided with a wing arranged spirally therein and extending longitudinally thereof, said wing increasing in width from end to end. V

2. In a device of the kind described, a drum comprising a frame provided with a suitable covering and plurality of spirals arranged within said drum and extending from one end to the other said spirals gradually increasing in width from one end of the drum to the other.

3. In a device of the kind described, a rotatable drum comprising a frame provided with a suitable covering and a plurality of members spirally arranged within said drum and extending from one end to the other, said spirals gradually increasing in width from the forward to the rear end of the drum.

4. In a device of the kind described, a rotatable drum comprising a frame and a covering therefor, said drum provided with a plurality of parts arranged therein, said parts decreasing in width and extending spirally from one end of the drum to the other, a car body adjustably secured to said drum and means for rotating the drum.

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a rotatable cylindrical drum comprising a frame provided with a suitable covering therefor, a plurality of spirally arranged members within said drum each member comprising a part extending diametrically and longitudinally of the drum, means for securing and staying said parts within the drum, means for adjustably suspending said car body from the drum, means for controlling said adjustable suspending means, a plurality of planes carried by said suspending means, means for rotating said drum and a vertically disposed rudder and means for controlling said rudder as desired.

6. In an air craft of the kind described, the combination of a drum comprising a frame provided with a suitable covering therefor, a plurality of spirally arranged members within said drum each member comprising a part extending both diametrically and longitudinally of the drum the diametrical distance varying from one end of the drum to the other, means for securing and staying said parts within the drum from the inner circumferepce thereof toward the center, a car body and a plurality of planes, adjustable means for suspending said body and said planes from the drum, means for rotating said drum in the desired direction relative to the car body comprising a source of power carried by the car body and means for operatively connecting, said power and drum comprising a pair of sprocket wheels a sprocket chain arranged thereon, said sprocket wheels provided with propeller blades, a rudder, and means for operating said rudder as desired.

7. In a device of the class described, a rotatable drum, a car body connected to the drum, a motor, and an operative power transmission connection between the motor and drum including a sprocket wheel provided with propeller blades, said wheel assisting in propelling the device through its propeller blades.

8. In a device of the class described, a rotatable drum, a car body, means for suspending the car body from the drum, said means including a forward hanger having a pivotal connection at the forward end of the drum and an adjustable sliding connection with the forward part of the car body, and a rear hanger connected at the rear part of the drum and pivotally connected to the rear part of the car body, and means for rotating the drum.

FRANK ROSBORY. Witnesses M. E. ARKILLS, CHARLES I. COBB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

